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01 January 2013

Savion ~ Israeli - Bondi Beach

You might know Savion only from their dips. We try out the restaurant that makes them and find there's more treasures to try.
We've been trying to get to Savion On the Grill in Bondi for some time but have always been thwarted by bad timing (closed on Saturdays) or got distracted on the way and only get as far as Bondi Junction. We have wanted to compare them with Sababba on Hall St which first stole our falafel loving hearts ever since we lived down the road but it just didn't happen. Until now.

The restaurant is located at the quiet end of Wairoa Avenue, away from all the Bondi beautifuls. Still a litttle hard to get parking, hey that's Bondi for you.

The menu looks a little chaotic but the friendly folk behind the counter will guide you through it. On the far left corner is the artist signature and '96', this place has been dishing up fine fare for a long time.

This yawning pita pocket contains garlic chicken, pickles, humos and just about every salad on offer for $11. We didn't think they'd be able to squeeze the meat in but it all fits in there for a flavour mix up. You munch your way through the different layers and end up with a different mouthful each time.

Falafel, humos and tahini with three selections from the salad bar $15.50. Shawn chooses the eggplant, a fresh chunky tabbouli and simple cucumber and tomato. The falafels are cooked fresh, ice cream scooped out of a bucket of mix and thrown into the fryer as you wait. A dollop of chilli sauce adds some heat.

There's also a selection of fried mushrooms and cauliflower to munch on. We got a piece each for takeaway, they would be better thrown in together with some of the sauces. While the mushroom was a little ho hum, the cauliflower was creamy on the inside and delicious.

We love the range of dips that Savion makes in particular the Savion Salad, a red tangy salsa perfect for anything grilled or just for straight dipping. Here you can buy the sauce from the source, or have them included as part of a pita bread meal or plate. The eggplant salad is a little pricier than their other salads and you can get packets of pita bread and falafels to go.

The racks of Israeli groceries inside and the kosher food were a guide to the origins of the food and the poeple making it. Levantine is a generalised term, we would rather be more specific if possible, otherwise it's like just calling a cuisine South East Asian.

Thanks for your comment joy - please keep your musings happy - if you want to complain about a restaurant please do it on a restaurant review site (or your own blog) - we're all about celebrating cultural diversity and the great eats that come along with it. Think Maeve O'Meara, not Masterchef :-)

Our ethics: We pay for all our own meals and travel (though sometimes Mum shouts us).